Educating For Human Greatness v.3 flyer

[philipkovacs]

Educating for Human Greatness

A HIGHER VISION
of Teaching, Thinking and Learning
© 2008 The Human Greatness Group

“There is nothing progressive about being pig-headed and refusing to admit a mistake.” --- C. S. Lewis

In 1983 a National Commission on Excellence in Education issued a “Nation At Risk Report” and set in motion a series of government-imposed reforms, all based on a false goal, student achievement in curriculum. The latest of these reforms, “No Child Left Behind,” put extra pressure on teachers to ignore the diverse needs of students and to standardize education through scripted reading, writing, and math. This top-down pressure is evidence that public school teaching is not regarded as a profession in our society.

Over many years our culture has become so obsessed with curriculum we have lost sight of our purpose – curriculum for what? Student achievement in curriculum has become a false goal, an end in and of itself. Grade-point-averages have become the main indicators of achievement in education. We have a cultural cramp – a mass mind-set that spawns counterfeit reform movements.

For genuine reform of public education we must start with a clear purpose. We suggest Education for Human Greatness.

In 1973, ten years before “Nation at Risk,” the teachers at Hill Field Elementary School in Clearfield, Utah decided to ask parents about their priorities for the education of their children. In interviews with thousands of parents, over several years, teachers were surprised to learn of three needs that parents felt were more important to them than the need to have a child achieve in reading, writing and arithmetic.

First, parents wanted teachers to respect children as individuals, to pay attention to each child’s special needs, and to help youngsters develop their unique talents and abilities.

Second, they wanted children to increase in curiosity and passion for knowledge – they wanted children to “fall in love with learning.”

And third, parents wanted teachers to help children learn how to express themselves, communicate and get along. The priorities were so consistent with nearly every parent, the teachers surmised that these may be the core needs of people in every culture – the need to know who we are and what we can become (identity), the need for knowledge (inquiry), and the need for respect and love (interaction).

This finding led to a new concept – curriculum should not be viewed as a goal, but as a tool to help students grow in identity, inquiry and interaction. Even though the concept was temporarily smothered by the standardization movement, it remained alive all these years and has now evolved to become a framework for authentic changes of public, private and other forms of education.

A Clear Purpose for Education

Develop great human beings to be contributors (not burdens) to society by focusing on 7 Dimensions of Human Greatness:

1. Identity – Help students learn who they are – as individuals with unlimited potential, develop their unique talents and gifts to realize self-worth and develop a strong desire to be contributors to family, school and community.

2. Inquiry – Stimulate curiosity; awaken a sense of wonder and appreciation for nature and humankind. Help students develop the power to ask important questions.

3. Interaction – Promote courtesy, caring, communication and cooperation.

4. Initiative – Foster self-directed learning, will power and self-evaluation.

5. Imagination – Nurture creativity in all of its many forms.

6. Intuition – Help students learn how to feel and recognize truth with their hearts as well as with their minds – develop spirituality and humility.

7. Integrity – Develop honesty, character, morality and responsibility for self.

SURPRISE: When reading, writing, math and other disciplines are taught as tools rather than goals, students' learning produces more depth and breadth, they retain more of what they learn and are able to apply it to solve other problems.

This “higher vision” allows teachers to perform as professionals who involve parents and inspire students to accomplish amazing things.

Contacts for more information:

Lynn Stoddard, a veteran educator, is the author of three books and numerous articles on the need and ways to reinvent schooling. [e-mail]

MaryBeth Merritt is an educator, scientist, parent, artist and community activist She is a founder of Four Winds, a non-profit educational organization. [e-mail]

Don Perl – Is a lifetime educator of thirty-five years. He is presently an adjunct professor of Spanish at the University of Northern Colorado. [e-mail]

Phoebe Plank, a teacher for 15 years, is taking one year off from teaching to bring Educating for Human Greatness to students, teachers and administrators. [e-mail]

Susan Ohanian – A longtime teacher and prolific writer on education issues. She maintains a website in opposition to the corporate-politico takeover of schools and the standardization of curriculum. [e-mail]

Emmanuel Bernstein is a veteran educator who has taught all ages. He wrote the book, The Secret Revolution: A Psychologist’s Adventures in Education. [e-mail]

Yvonne Siu-Runyan – Dr. Siu-Runyan is professor emerita, the University of Northern Colorado and a member of the presidential team for the National Council Teachers of English [e-mail]

Lu Pilgrim – Faculty, Pacific Oaks College, Pasadena, CA, 50 years of experience as a public and independent school teacher and administrator in MI, CA, UT, and WY. [e-mail]

Philip Kovacs -- A former high school English teacher now teaching teachers, Dr. Kovacs helped organize the Educator Roundtable which solicited over 30,000 thousand signatures on a petition calling on Congress to dismantle NCLB. [e-mail]

Mary Orlando has been a Montessori educator for the past 40 years, teaching at every developmental level from 3 year olds through 8th grade. [e-mail]

Betty Terrell is a third grade teacher at Sacajawea Elementary School, in Seattle WA, which adopted as its mission 12 years ago, Educating for Human Greatness. [e-mail].

Alfie Kohn, the author of eleven books, has been recognized by Time magazine as “perhaps the country’s most outspoken critic of education’s fixation on grades [and] test scores.” www.alfiekohn.org.

Nel Noddings – A Lee L. Jacks Professor of Childhood Education, Emerita at Stanford University. Her latest book is When School Reform Goes Wrong. [e-mail]

Stephen Krashen is best known for developing the first comprehensive theory of second language acquisition. He is the author of several books. [e-mail]

Darrell Stoddard -- Founder, Pain Research Institute www.healpain.net Author of PAIN FREE FOR LIFE, Email: [e-mail]

Lawrence Baines – Professor Baines is Judith Daso Herb Chair in Adolescent Literacy at The University of Toledo. [e-mail]

Boyd R. Cox – Dr. Cox is a retired educator with 25 years teaching experience as an elementary teacher and who taught 8 years as an adjunct instructor in basic mathematics and electronics at a community college. [e-mail]

William Spady, an internationally recognized authority, is the author of five books. He is the current Director of the New Possibilities Network. [e-mail]

More Contacts ….. [e-mail]

Educating for Human Greatness

A HIGHER VISION
of Teaching, Thinking and Learning





© 2008 The Human Greatness Group

[philipkovacs]

You are correct on several counts.

First and foremost, we believe that Doug Christensen is the best choice for Secretary of Education, and this is an effort to build support for him. Next, we want these turned into talking points and those talking points distributed to policy makers and in the hands of school reformers nationwide.

You are in on the very beginning of the second project.

Leo J. Fahey said:

Hi Folks,

This is kinda new for me so forgive any fumbles. A question: other than conversations among like minded people, what is the object of this social network? Maybe just having such conversations is important, but if Educating for Human Greatness is to find success in ed reform it strikes me a whole lot more needs to be done. Now, don't get me wrong here, I love to talk with folks who share the same vocabulary as we here in the wilderness need all the support from wherever we can get it. Still, Lynn's ideas need to be propagated beyond this group.

And speaking of Educating for Human Greatness: I have to wonder what formal learning structures these seven deminsions suggest and require. The reason for such a question goes to the heart of the project, as I can see the same structures being kept in place, altered slightly to accomodate different curriculua ends where "...reading, writing, math and other disciplines are taught as tools rather than goals..". Thus, the ends of the basic curriculum may have changed, but the top-down, teacher/administrator directed organization remains, and "the hidden curriculum continues unabated". If that's the case, then of what benefit is this kind of reform?

Leo

[philipkovacs]

glad you are here! you should copy and paste this into your profile so people, should they be interested, can read it.

best,
philip

Suzanne said:

I love this movement! I'm sure that some of you are familiar with Expeditionary Learning/Outward Bound. The 7 Dimensions of Human Greatness are very similar to the the Design Principals of ELOB......

http://www.elschools.org/aboutus/principles.html

I have been on a school council in City Schools of Decatur for several years. We have implemented ELOB in our elementary schools and I am absolutely amazed at the culture and focus on authentic learning that has resulted. We do not focus on standardized tests at all, yet we have an excellent pass rate even though the student bodies at all of our schools are diverse. Shoot ... we don't even have textbooks to speak of. I really wish that someone from your group could come and see our schools, particularly Oakhurst Elementary which seems to have an especially excellent implementation of EL. I'm not trying to brag, but I truly am floored whenever I go to an EL Showcase night, attend curriculum night or spend time in a classroom .

It is just hard to believe what a bunch of little 8-year-olds can create when their minds are free to think. We have had third graders organize and hold voting rallies just before the presidential election. We have had them design and implement campaigns to stamp out hunger in Atlanta. We have had first graders complete expeditions on what it means to be a hero, complete with gorgeous paintings of their own heroes. The teachers collaborate to work math, language arts, reading, etc into the expeditions so the kids learn by doing. There are "scheduled" art and music classes three times a week, but the kids work art and music into their everyday learning so they are exposed to the arts daily. They also have Spanish every day and their Spanish learning ties in with their expeditions.

On EL Showcase nights, the kids give the tours... not the teachers... the kids show off the expeditions b/c the expeditions belong to the kids ... not the teachers or principal.

It is really amazing. Please come see us. I feel like we are an island of beauty in a world of NCLB craziness!

Suzanne Miller

[Jim O'Neill]

With over 30 years in education, 17 as an administrator, the last 6 as a superintendent, I am continually amazed that our legislators and over the last 8 years our Secretary of Education has looked backwards rather than forward in an effort to provide our students with the best possible education for a world that is changing rapidly socially, economically and politically. Just as we want a teacher to recognize the unique differences, abilities and apptitues of the children in a classroom we need someone at the federal level who can see beyond the bureaucratic inclination to have a one size fits all mentality as we work to enhance the quality of eduation for all students. Perhaps NCLB has provided some beneficial attention to some students and districts while being detrimental to others. We are all dealing with multiple issues that make each district unique. If the federal goverment recognizes the unique nature of children and school districts it should be easy to recognize that one sytem of monitoring, assessing or dictating the best way to expend funds is a disconnect that will have an adverse impact on teaching and learing in some communities. I appreciate the opportunity to join in this conversation
Jim

[philipkovacs]

AND WE APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US!

Jim O'Neill said:

With over 30 years in education, 17 as an administrator, the last 6 as a superintendent, I am continually amazed that our legislators and over the last 8 years our Secretary of Education has looked backwards rather than forward in an effort to provide our students with the best possible education for a world that is changing rapidly socially, economically and politically. Just as we want a teacher to recognize the unique differences, abilities and apptitues of the children in a classroom we need someone at the federal level who can see beyond the bureaucratic inclination to have a one size fits all mentality as we work to enhance the quality of eduation for all students. Perhaps NCLB has provided some beneficial attention to some students and districts while being detrimental to others. We are all dealing with multiple issues that make each district unique. If the federal goverment recognizes the unique nature of children and school districts it should be easy to recognize that one sytem of monitoring, assessing or dictating the best way to expend funds is a disconnect that will have an adverse impact on teaching and learing in some communities. I appreciate the opportunity to join in this conversation
Jim

[Julie Sweetland]

This is a wonderful framework. The organization I work for is currently going through a strategic planning process so that we can be "more focused on outcomes." All of us are true believers (and do-ers!) in progressive education yet also want to make sure we don't fall into the trap of never getting where we're going because we haven't set a clear goal. These seven 'ribs' give me renewed hope that we can define our goals in ways that will truly let us achieve our mission of redefining schools so that they honor the ways that children learn--and not set unworthy goals that become a glass ceiling or a false star.

I'm happy to join this discussion!

Julie Sweetland, Director of Research, Center for Inspired Teaching

[Leo J. Fahey]

Talking points:

They, in my opinion, ought to paint a bright, new direction in the way we socialize youth into adult culture through schooling. While I strongly agree with Lynn's seven dimensions, they do not represent a bright, new way. In fact, when you talk with conventional ed folks about the purposes of education you get to hear most of these seven points, some even in the same language, with an additional nod to job prep, .

So, here's what I mean:

1. Identity. Conventional ed in the early grades is all about finding out who one is in respect to other children. Kindergartens and first grades are filled with self and group explorations with play materials such as sand and water tables, play kitchens and stores, theatrical stuff and musical instruments. And this along with the wide variety of literacy material create little labs of social learning, learning about oneself within a group of others. Besides, the multiplicity of reading materials transports five and six year olds outside themselves allowing for many kinds of wonder.

2. Inquiry. Teachers try mightily for their youngsters to ask questions. When I made the transistion from the college to the high school classroom, I was directly taught how to encourage youngsters to ask questions, to be curious. I mean, schooling is all about questions; you think after a while youngsters would catch on.

3. Interaction. For good or ill, discipline plans, which teachers are required to develop and to implement, are all about instilling courtesy, caring, appropriate communication and cooperation. Classroom norms promoting kindly and cooperative behavior is job one for each teacher, as teaching/learning is impossible otherwise.

4. Initiative. Man, teachers so much desire their youngsters to take responsilbity for their learning. In fact, except for the inept, teachers really want their students to go ahead of the class in their texts, and read about subjects of interest above and beyond those of immediate study, and read for fun and pleasure as well as for class. More, teachers, generally, really want their charges to be active learners.

5. Imagination. Teachers, especially in the early grades, rely on childrens' imagination for motivation and for enrichment. I mean, there are many arts and crafts projects undertaken to illustrate concepts or content. More, teachers encourge the growth of wonder about the world through many reading and writing excursions into wildly different narratives.

6. Intuition. Now here is a lack. Conventional schooling, public and private, completely neglects the affective realms of its youngsters. Here is an important difference between conventional ed and some education alternatives to the conventional. However, as to spirituality, well, it should remain neglected in the public school as, in my opinion, there ought to be a strict separation of church and state. But, I'll tell you, religious schools aren't concerned with sprituality either concentrating exclusively on the demand to accept dogma and orthodoxy.

7. Integrity. From plagerism to cheating, conventional ed is always on guard.

Folks, what marks the differences in these categories between the conventional and the alternative we wish our political leaders to move toward? It strikes me we need to draw distinctions and the language we use ought to instantaneously differentiate what we see as socializing youngsters toward human greatness and socializing them to somethng less.

Thus, I'd suggest we examine what we mean by each deminsion, understand its implications in structure, and come up with suitable summary language, language which differentiates without being dismissable.

Leo

[F. James Clatworthy]

I think the purpose of education should be More than just Educating for Human Greatness. Buckminster Fuller often said that humans were just local monitors in the Universe and so it is on our Spaceship Earth.

Human greatness will come if we are the careful stewards of our planet, and to do that we need to be stewards of our local communities. The real purpose of public education should be for Community Development since we have community schools. Human greatness will follow, but it's the lessor system than Community. Community Development is the Sixth discipline beyond Systems Thinking that we should be preparing our students for and using all the Exploritory Learning techniques that we can including Foxfire, World Game, Jr. World Game and other democratic participatory learning models. High Schools should have a Community Development Action Research requirement that would send out teams of students to research problems and issues in the community and recomment action to the appropriate stakeholders, or to correct of improve the situation. Nothing better than good hands on experience to understand the basic elements of Civics.

Community Colleges and public Colleges and Universities should also have a Community Development Action Research requirement and could collaborate with their area public schools. The potential for making real headway with community development is enormous and all at a minimul cost to local, state and Federal governments. The money saved from Standardized testing in each state alone would be enough to launch the Community Development Action Research program. Let's move away from thinking about human greatness and start focusing on making our Communities great and then our Bioregions! Maybe then we'll have saved our planet.

[philipkovacs]

This is a valid critique...however, we understand community to be essential to identity...as for your argument that we need to be stewards of the planet and our communities, I don't think anyone who signed this letter would disagree.

also, i think we should be clear that this list isn't a 1-7 in order of importance list. all of these need to go on simultaneously, supporting one another, like communities support individuals and vice versa.

I am glad you are here!
philip

F. James Clatworthy said:

I think the purpose of education should be More than just Educating for Human Greatness. Buckminster Fuller often said that humans were just local monitors in the Universe and so it is on our Spaceship Earth.

Human greatness will come if we are the careful stewards of our planet, and to do that we need to be stewards of our local communities. The real purpose of public education should be for Community Development since we have community schools. Human greatness will follow, but it's the lessor system than Community. Community Development is the Sixth discipline beyond Systems Thinking that we should be preparing our students for and using all the Exploritory Learning techniques that we can including Foxfire, World Game, Jr. World Game and other democratic participatory learning models. High Schools should have a Community Development Action Research requirement that would send out teams of students to research problems and issues in the community and recomment action to the appropriate stakeholders, or to correct of improve the situation. Nothing better than good hands on experience to understand the basic elements of Civics.

Community Colleges and public Colleges and Universities should also have a Community Development Action Research requirement and could collaborate with their area public schools. The potential for making real headway with community development is enormous and all at a minimul cost to local, state and Federal governments. The money saved from Standardized testing in each state alone would be enough to launch the Community Development Action Research program. Let's move away from thinking about human greatness and start focusing on making our Communities great and then our Bioregions! Maybe then we'll have saved our planet.

[Lynn Stoddard]

Leo J. Fahey said:

Talking points:

They, in my opinion, ought to paint a bright, new direction in the way we socialize youth into adult culture through schooling. While I strongly agree with Lynn's seven dimensions, they do not represent a bright, new way. In fact, when you talk with conventional ed folks about the purposes of education you get to hear most of these seven points, some even in the same language, with an additional nod to job prep, .

So, here's what I mean:

1. Identity. Conventional ed in the early grades is all about finding out who one is in respect to other children. Kindergartens and first grades are filled with self and group explorations with play materials such as sand and water tables, play kitchens and stores, theatrical stuff and musical instruments. And this along with the wide variety of literacy material create little labs of social learning, learning about oneself within a group of others. Besides, the multiplicity of reading materials transports five and six year olds outside themselves allowing for many kinds of wonder.

2. Inquiry. Teachers try mightily for their youngsters to ask questions. When I made the transistion from the college to the high school classroom, I was directly taught how to encourage youngsters to ask questions, to be curious. I mean, schooling is all about questions; you think after a while youngsters would catch on.

3. Interaction. For good or ill, discipline plans, which teachers are required to develop and to implement, are all about instilling courtesy, caring, appropriate communication and cooperation. Classroom norms promoting kindly and cooperative behavior is job one for each teacher, as teaching/learning is impossible otherwise.

4. Initiative. Man, teachers so much desire their youngsters to take responsilbity for their learning. In fact, except for the inept, teachers really want their students to go ahead of the class in their texts, and read about subjects of interest above and beyond those of immediate study, and read for fun and pleasure as well as for class. More, teachers, generally, really want their charges to be active learners.

5. Imagination. Teachers, especially in the early grades, rely on childrens' imagination for motivation and for enrichment. I mean, there are many arts and crafts projects undertaken to illustrate concepts or content. More, teachers encourge the growth of wonder about the world through many reading and writing excursions into wildly different narratives.

6. Intuition. Now here is a lack. Conventional schooling, public and private, completely neglects the affective realms of its youngsters. Here is an important difference between conventional ed and some education alternatives to the conventional. However, as to spirituality, well, it should remain neglected in the public school as, in my opinion, there ought to be a strict separation of church and state. But, I'll tell you, religious schools aren't concerned with sprituality either concentrating exclusively on the demand to accept dogma and orthodoxy.

7. Integrity. From plagerism to cheating, conventional ed is always on guard.

Folks, what marks the differences in these categories between the conventional and the alternative we wish our political leaders to move toward? It strikes me we need to draw distinctions and the language we use ought to instantaneously differentiate what we see as socializing youngsters toward human greatness and socializing them to somethng less.

Thus, I'd suggest we examine what we mean by each deminsion, understand its implications in structure, and come up with suitable summary language, language which differentiates without being dismissable.

Leo

[Leo J. Fahey]

Hey Lynn,

I was hoping you'd respond so we could proceed onto dialogue. But, I can't find your response to my post here, unless there's a reply another place on this site. Let me, us, know where it is. Thanks,

Leo

[Jennifer Parker]

Leo J. Fahey said:

Hey Lynn,

I was hoping you'd respond so we could proceed onto dialogue. But, I can't find your response to my post here, unless there's a reply another place on this site. Let me, us, know where it is. Thanks,

Leo

[Jennifer Parker]

Leo, I think you have a good point. Language is so important in shaping conventional wisdom and agendas. I agree that some of the language in these drafts should be distinguished more from conventional ed or even edu-biz. I am somewhat concerned about the "21st century" language in the Educating for Human Greatness flyer because it is word for word the language used to standardize education. Let's continue to brainstorm ways to communicate this group's purpose.